Polls open for Myanmar's first election since military seized power

Voters in Myanmar are participating in the first phase of the country’s general election, held under military rule amid a civil war. Critics argue the election is a facade to legitimize military control, which began after Aung San Suu Kyi’s government was ousted in 2021. Her party, the National League for Democracy, was dissolved after refusing to register under new military rules. Many major parties are excluded from the polls, and freedom of speech is limited. The military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party is expected to win, and keep in power Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, who led the 2021 army takeover. The election occurs in three phases, with results anticipated in late January.